How to Develop a Personal Style [Tuesday]
"Good morning!" Irene sing-songed at the class, who was meeting today in their regular classroom. And, thankfully for everyone (and her ongoing sanity), their teacher had reverted back to her usual level of formality -- and even surpassed herself, some. Irene was wearing a fairly simple pencil skirt today, with an Armani blazer and -- most importantly -- a pale blue Ferragamo necktie. Not her usual at all, still, but at least it brought out her eyes nicely?
"Today," she said, smiling a little, "we're going to discuss a rather particular area of fashion -- something that I'd think many of you would argue that you might not ever need, but it's still a very, very useful skill to have under your belt."
She reached down onto the table and held up a few of the neatly-arranged ties. "There are several ways to knot a necktie -- Windsor knots are very popular, as are Half-Windsors," she said, demonstrating slowly how the knot worked on either. "As well as the less-common Pratt and Four-in-Hand methods. And that's not even tackling bowties, which take a little longer." And if Irene was a little unhappy with how floppy and sad her knotted bowtie turned out when she demonstrated -- well, she wasn't going to come right out and admit it. "Now, these are more modern variants," she added, glancing at Cosette and Anna omg if they were there no modding don't worry, "but we do still keep the cravat alive and well, too, and if you're feeling ambitious, you're welcome to give knotting one of those up a shot, too."
"Even if you don't think you'll ever have to wear a tie," Irene added, moving on from the sad bowtie, "it's enormously useful to know how to do. Maybe you'll have a partner who wears them regularly, and tying their ties for them becomes an adorable part of your morning routine. Perhaps you'll find yourself maid of honor or best man at a wedding where the groomsmen's ties keep coming undone -- and before you say it, I don't even want to know about the existence of clip-on neckties and the like. We don't exercise such laziness in my classroom, kiddos. We do it right, or not at all, or else what is the point?"
She clapped her hands together briskly. "I'd like you to try to tie one on yourself following the directions -- I've laid them out in print in case you weren't transcribing my every word, darlings, don't worry -- and then if you've extra time, feel free to try tying them on someone else. It's a little tricky, either way."
"Today," she said, smiling a little, "we're going to discuss a rather particular area of fashion -- something that I'd think many of you would argue that you might not ever need, but it's still a very, very useful skill to have under your belt."
She reached down onto the table and held up a few of the neatly-arranged ties. "There are several ways to knot a necktie -- Windsor knots are very popular, as are Half-Windsors," she said, demonstrating slowly how the knot worked on either. "As well as the less-common Pratt and Four-in-Hand methods. And that's not even tackling bowties, which take a little longer." And if Irene was a little unhappy with how floppy and sad her knotted bowtie turned out when she demonstrated -- well, she wasn't going to come right out and admit it. "Now, these are more modern variants," she added, glancing at Cosette and Anna omg if they were there no modding don't worry, "but we do still keep the cravat alive and well, too, and if you're feeling ambitious, you're welcome to give knotting one of those up a shot, too."
"Even if you don't think you'll ever have to wear a tie," Irene added, moving on from the sad bowtie, "it's enormously useful to know how to do. Maybe you'll have a partner who wears them regularly, and tying their ties for them becomes an adorable part of your morning routine. Perhaps you'll find yourself maid of honor or best man at a wedding where the groomsmen's ties keep coming undone -- and before you say it, I don't even want to know about the existence of clip-on neckties and the like. We don't exercise such laziness in my classroom, kiddos. We do it right, or not at all, or else what is the point?"
She clapped her hands together briskly. "I'd like you to try to tie one on yourself following the directions -- I've laid them out in print in case you weren't transcribing my every word, darlings, don't worry -- and then if you've extra time, feel free to try tying them on someone else. It's a little tricky, either way."